After enduring months of critique for not securing a meeting with former President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s inaugural visit to the White House has been deemed a triumph, highlighted by the signing of a groundbreaking $8.5 billion agreement.

The visit proceeded smoothly until a journalist inquired whether former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s previous critical remarks about Trump played a role in the delayed meeting, occurring nine months into Trump’s second presidential term.

This question provoked a response from Trump, who openly declared his ongoing dislike for Rudd.

In response, Andrew Hastie, a Liberal politician who has recently moved to the backbench, described the encounter as “theatre” and “good TV.”

“That was pure theatre,” Hastie remarked during an interview with 2GB.

“Trump is adept at reality television, and his playful jab at the Australian ambassador provided engaging TV. Ultimately, Kevin Rudd took it in stride for the country, and we move on,” he added.

Hastie brushed off the moment, saying “we don’t need to relive the humiliation” and praised Rudd for his efforts in pushing the minerals deal over the line.

“Kevin Rudd got the job done in the end. He got the minerals deal and he got a seat at the table with President Trump and the prime minister,” he said.

“Frankly, he made some unwise comments prior to becoming the ambassador, and we all make unwise comments.

“And he sat there, and he was humiliated by Donald Trump.”

Trump claimed not to even know who Rudd was, and asked the Australian ambassador to the US sitting across from him if he had said anything bad about him. 

“Before I took this position, Mr President,” Rudd replied.

Trump then proceeded to say, “I don’t like you either, and I probably never will”, which prompted laughter from the room full of journalists and officials, including Albanese.

Albanese downplayed the exchange following the meeting, and Trump reportedly accepted an off-camera apology from Rudd.

Hastie has joined the growing voices of Coalition members backing Rudd and deviating from Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s criticisms, in which she said his position as ambassador was “untenable” due to his past comments about Trump.

It was a remark she was forced to later backtrack.

Liberal Senator Jane Hume and Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie have also commended Rudd.

“The work clearly has been done on critical minerals and rare earths by Kevin Rudd personally, and I think that he should be acknowledged for that good work,” Hume told Sky News.

“That would have taken months of painstaking negotiation to get the deal done. So credit where it’s due,” McKenzie told Today.